Former UFC lightweight title challenger Michael Chandler wants newly-crowned champion Islam Makhachev to defend his belt against a lightweight before he starts thinking about a superfight with featherweight champ Alexander Volkanovski.
Makhachev vs. Volkanovski is on tap for UFC 284 in Perth, Australia, with both fighters verbally agreeing to the matchup following a tense face-off at UFC 280 this past October.
Chandler understands the appeal of the fight from a promotional standpoint but thinks Makhachev should be matched up with a lightweight in his first title defense, making his case for a title shot with a potential win over Dustin Poirier on Saturday.